Packing drum



L. K. KETLER PACKING DRUM Dec. 13, 1955 I Filed July 6, 1953 PI E 5 llllllllll M a a aaai aaaaaa. 4

INVENTOR. 455727? K. KETL 5/6,

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PACKING DRUM Lester K. Ketler, Ashtabula, Ohio, assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind, a corporation Application July 6, 1953, Serial N 0. 366,286

9 Claims. (Cl. 229-55) This invention relates to a packing drum particularly useful for shipping and storing of personal belongings, household goods and the like, and which drum is of a knockdown, self-locking fibreboard character, such that it may be shipped and stored in the flat when not in use.

It is the object of this invention to produce a low cost packing drum for shipping and storing household and personal belongings, including such articles as china, glassware, clothing and the like, which may be folded flat to conserve space in storage and shipment when not in use, but which may be quickly erected into a self-locking structure of substantial size and strength without stitching, taping or other securing devices. It is particularly applicable for overland trucking and overseas shipments of personal and household goods, as Well as for storage thereof in warehouses. It is also applicable for use in certain types of packaging, such as for premium-priced tire tubes and other round or cylindrical objects, particularly where a recessed protective end package is desirable.

In addition to the advantages of being shipped and stored in the fiat when disassembled, it is completely selflocking without securing means; is recessed at both ends for load protection; tends to lock in the bottom more securely when packed and loaded.

Another advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the packing drum may be quickly disassembled into the flat for storing and reusing many difierent times thereby making it very economical. In addition to its reuse and space saving features, and since it is inherently of light weight, there is a further substantial saving in freight rates with respect to transporting the drum and its contents.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the erected packing drum or container.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the side wall structure in the fiat and before erecting.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing both the top end panel closure and the bottom end panel closure when in the flat before erection.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the top or bottom end panel closure erected from the flat, as shown in Fig. 3, for assembly with the side wall structure.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper position of the side wall structure upon being folded from the flat, as shown in Fig. 2, to octagonal tubular form for receiving the top and bottom end panel closures.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. l, showing the interlocking of the top end panel closure with the upper end of the side wall structure, the interlocking of the bottom end panel closure with the bottom of the side wall structure being identical therewith.

In the drawings there is shown a fibreboard packing drum or container having a side wall structure 10 comprising a series of flat elongated side wall panels 11. Said Sttes Patent 2,726,803 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 side wall structure is illustrated herein as being octagonal to include eight side wall panels; however, it obviously may be formed of a variable but even number of said panels as may be desired. Each of said panels is hinge connected to its adjacent panels through the scoring indicated at' 12. In producing the side wall structure, one of said panels is formed with a flap 13 arranged to overlap and be joined, taped or glued at 14 to its adjacent panel, whereby the side wall structure will be permanently tubular when erected, but adapted to be folded in the fiat as shown in Fig. 2, wherein four of said panels 11 lie flat againstthe other four side panels. However, the adjacent walls may be secured by gluing or taping in the usual manner, with or without the flap 13. In erecting the drum the double thickness fiat structure, as shown in Fig. 2, may be readily folded into an octagonal tubular structure, as shown in Fig. 5.

Each of the side wall panels is formed at its opposite ends with flaps 15. Midway of the upper edge of each flap 15 there is an ear 16. Each said flap is scored for double folding, as indicated at 17 and 18, whereby they may be bent inwardly about the score 18 to leave a fiat bearing and a supporting surface 19 therebetween, as best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Adjacent and centrally of each of the scored fold lines 17 there is a cutout bearing tab 20 to provide a supporting ledge for the top and bottom end closures when turned inwardly about its score line 21. Each bearing tab is punched out adjacent its hinge score to provide an elongated slot 20a. The opening 22 in each of the panels 11 left by the inward bending of said tabs is adapted to provide a fingerhold. It may be noted that the structure of each side wall panel is identical, as well as the respective ends thereof, whether used for top or bottom of the erected drum.

The end closures to be assembled with the side wall structure are likewise identical, as well as each side portion thereof. Said closures may be packaged in the flat, as shown in Fig. 3, together with the side wall structure also arranged in the flat, as shown in Fig. 2. Each of said closures includes an end plate 23 which is shown herein as octagonal to accommodate itself to the side wall structure when erected into tubular octagonal form. Extending outwardly from the closure plate there is a plurality of edge flaps 24 of a generally rectangular form, each edge hinged to a side edge of the closure plate along the score line 25. Cut out from the straight edges of said plate along and adjacent each of said score lines 25 there is an elongated slot 26 into which extends a locking tab 27 of the same depth as the width of the slot but of substantially less length to extend centrally thereof. Said tab is rigid with said flap 24 so that when said flap is bent to extend at right angles to the closure plate, said locking tab 27 will extend downwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

The method of erecting the drum consists of forming the tubular side wall structure from its fiat condition of Fig. 2, into its tubular form of Pig. 5, with the end flaps 15 extending outwardly from both ends of said respective side wall panels. The bearing tabs 2i) of each panel are then bent inwardly thereof to extend horizontally within the tubular structure and provide a supporting ledge for the end closures. The said closures are then formed from the fiat, as shown in Fig. 3, to the form thereof shown in Fig. 4, with the edge flaps 24 extending outwardly from the closure plate and their integral locking tabs 27 extending therefrom in the opposite direction. The end closures are then alternately nested, first nested within the bottom end of the inverted side wall structure, and ultimately within the top open end (after packing), to rest upon the bearing tabs 29, as shown in Fig. 6. In seating the closures upon the bearing tabs Zil their projecting locking tabs 27 are inserted and interlocked in slots 20a of the respective bearing tabs 20. ,Thereupon the outwardly extending flaps 15 of the side Wall panels are bent over at 17 and downwardly at 18 to embrace the edge flaps 24. The cars 16 of the flaps 15 are'the'n inserted into the respective slots 26 of the end plates, whereby they will be locked in their overlapping end panel closure confining position.

It will be obvious that the bottom closure will be first assembled as above described, with the side wall structure inverted, being firmly interlocked with the side wall structure as through the interlocking ears 16 and tabs 27, so as to present a tubular containerforpackaging. With the drum thus erected and with the assembled closure at the bottom thereof, the upper end is open for packing. Thereupon the top closure may be placed in position and interlocked with the upper end of the side wall structure in the same manner as the bottom closure, and as above described. The drum is then securely closed for shipment or storage.

T 0 remove the contents, the top closure is removed in the reverse order from that above described, each flap being individually pried upwardly to disengage the ears 16 so that they will be returned from the locking position shown in Fig. 6 to their open position shown in Fig. 5.' Thereupon the top closure maybe readily lifted upwardly from the wall structure. Having removed the contents, the bottom closure may be similarly removed from the wall structure, whereupon said end panel closures may be flattened out and the wall structure returned to its flattened position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The invention claimed is: V 1. A knockdown container including a side wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other betweencollapsed and tubular formation, an inwardly and downwardly foldable locking flap extending from opposite ends of each side panel, a

cutout bearing tab foldable inwardly from each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges, each of. said tabs having an aperture adjacent its fold, normallyflat top and bottom end closures peripherally formed to fit and nest within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, hinged edge flaps foldable from the periphery of said closure to conform to said wall panels 4 respectively in face to face mating relation therewith, each of said edge flaps having cutout locking tabs movable therewith to provide a series of slots spaced about the periphery of said closure, said closures being nestable within said side wall structure to seat upon said bearing tabs with said locking flaps foldable over and embracing said edge flaps and said locking tabs extending into interlocking engagement with a mating one of said apertures, and a locking car on each said locking flaps extending into interlocking engagement with one of said slots in said end closures respectively.

2. A knockdown container including a side Wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between collapsed and tubular formation, normally flat top'and bottom closures peripherally formed to be received and nested within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, a bearing tab foldable inwardly at right angles to extend laterally from 'each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges to receive and limit the positioning of said end closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall structure, and tongue and slot interlocking connections between said end closures and side wall structure for retaining said closures in supporting relation with said tabs.

to provide supporting ledges to seat and limit the position of said closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall structure, and an said tubular side wall structure, a bearing tab foldable inwardly from each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges to seat and limit the position of said closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall structure, an inwardly and downwardly foldable locking flap extending from opposite endsof each side panel, an outwardly extending hinged edge flap foldable from the periphery of each closure positioned to be embraced by adjacent locking flaps respectively, and a tongue and slot interlocking connection between said locking flaps and end closures respectively.

5. A knockdown container including a side wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between collapsed and tubular formation, normally flat top and bottom closures 'peripherally formed to be received and'nested within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, a bearing tab having a slot therein and'foldable inwardly adjacent thereto at right angles to extend laterally from each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges to receive and limit the positioning of said end closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall structure, and inwardly projecting locking tabs arranged to extend inwardly from the periphery of each said'closures for tongue and slot interlocking engagement with said bearing tabs.

6. A knockdown container including a side wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between collapsed and tubular formation, normally flat top and bottom closures peripherally formed to fit and nest within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, a bearing tab foldable inwardly from each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges to seat and limit the position of said end closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall. structure, said bearing tabs each being provided with an aperture adjacent its fold, each of said closures having a peripheral series of hinged edge flaps foldable to conform to said wall panels respectively in face to face mating relation therewith, an oppositely directed locking tab associated with each said edge flap to extend into interlocking engagement with the respective apertures 'in said bearing tabs, and a closure locking member on each end of said side wall structure extending inwardly therefrom to normally prevent disengagement of said locking and bearing tabs. 7 1

7. A knockdown container including a side wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between collapsed and tubular formation, normally flat top and bottom closures peripherally formed to fit and nest within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, a bearing tab foldable inwardly from each said panel adjacent its opposite ends to provide supporting ledges to seat and limit the position of said end closures a predetermined distance inwardly from the respective ends of said side wall structure, said bearing tabs each being provided with an aperture adjacent its fold, each of said closures having a peripheral series of hinged edge flaps foldable to conform to said wall panels respectively in face to face mating relation therewith, an oppositely directed locking tab associated with each said edge flap to extend into interlocking engagement with the respective apertures in said bearing tabs, an inwardly and downwardly foldable locking flap extending from opposite ends of each side panel into embracing and confining relation with the respective edge flaps, and means for interlocking said locking flaps with said closures respectively to retain said locking flaps in their said embracing and confining relation and provide a reinforced recessed bearing end for said side wall structure.

8. A knockdown container including a side wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between fiat collapsed position and tubular formation, normally fiat top and bottom end closures peripherally formed to fit within opposite ends of said tubular side wall structure, a cutout hearing tab foldable inwardly from each said panel adjacent and spaced from its opposite ends to provide closure seating and supporting ledges, each of said tabs having an aperture adjacent its fold, hinged edge flaps foldable from the periphery of each closure to conform to said wall panels respectively to lie in face to face mating relation therewith, each of said edge flaps having cutout locking tabs adapted to extend into and interlock with the respective apertures of said bearing tabs, the cutout of said locking tabs providing a slot adjacent said edge flaps, an inwardly and downwardly foldable locking flap extending from opposite ends of each side panel into embracing and confining relation with said edge flaps, and a locking ear on each said locking flap extending into interlocking engagement with said slots respectively for locking said locking flaps in closure securing position.

9. A knockdown container including a side Wall structure having successively connected side wall panels foldable relative to each other between collapsed and tubular formation, a normally fiat end closure peripherally formed to lit and nest within one end of said tubular side Wall structure having a series of spaced locking tabs about the periphery thereof, means carried by said side wall structure adjacent its closure receiving end to receive and limit the positioning of said closure a predetermined distance inwardly from said end of said side wall structure, said means being provided with a series of slots corresponding with and adapted to receive said tabs respectively for interlocking said end closure with said side panels and an inwardly foldable locking flap extending from the said end of each side panel into interlocking engagement with said end closure for locking it in engagement with said closure receiving means and provide a reinforced end bearing for said wall structure spaced from said closure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,156,444 Stevens Oct. 12, 1915 1,204,744 Cohn Nov. 14, 1916 1,334,046 Opgenorth Mar. 16, 1920 1,665,359 Haas Apr. 10, 1928 

